Search this site

Malaysia's Champions Youth Cup now with FIFA

A decision on the Football Association of Malaysia's appeal to FIFA to reconsider its application to sanction the Champions Youth Cup to be held in Malaysia from 5-19 August will be decided at the FIFA's executive committee meeting in Zurich at the end of May. FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is in Kuala Lumpur for the Asian Football Confederation congress meeting, said he is aware of the details concerning the CYC.

“We are going into the details of the CYC,” Blatter told a press conference. “The CYC is a tournament which will involve teams from different continents. The procedure is firstly the support of the government, then the national football association will inform the continent representative. In this case, it is the AFC. Now we will bring it up during the FIFA executive meeting. There will be a solution, it will be good and positive.”

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said that they had to respect FIFA's procedures. “We will just have to wait and see,” she said as reported by S Sivabalan of The Star.

Meanwhile, Blatter had earlier inaugurated Malaysia's first artificial football turf at the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil. The artificial turf is part of FIFA Goal Project for Malaysia. Of the project cost of US$647,784, FIFA contributed US$400,000 and FAM the balance. “The artificial turf for football is the future. The turf can be used up to 25 years. It's very easy to maintain,” said Blatter.